Wag the Doug

#69 Doug Ford, Ontario Man

August 21, 2024

After six years of Doug-wagging, Allison and Jonathan have learned a few things.

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#68 The Fifth Annual(ish) Douggie Awards

July 17, 2024

Live (on tape) from the intersection of Richmond and Spadina, it’s the fifth annual(ish) Douggie Awards, celebrating the most surreal and mendacious moments of the past year in Ford.

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#67 To All the Booze Who’ve Loved Beer Store

June 19, 2024

Who doesn’t love an ice-cold beer from a bar, a pub, a liquor store… a gas station?

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Queen’s Park and Gaza

May 15, 2024

When the Speaker decreed that keffiyehs were verboten at Queen’s Park, even Doug Ford agreed that that was a bad call. But that came in the midst of a hotly-contested by-election in the 905 — and now that it’s finished, so is his party’s long nightmare of uncharacteristic open-mindedness.

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#65 This Sh*t is Banana Cats

April 17, 2024

This month, Allison and Jonathan don their leotards and consider Ontario politics’ new experimental era.

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#64 Dougie Went a-Courtin’

March 20, 2024

Judicial independence is a foundational principle of Canadian democracy. Doug Ford sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.

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#63 Where the Wildfires Are

February 14, 2024

At this time of year, we’d normally pine for spring.

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#62 Journey to the Centre of the Science

January 17, 2024

Doug Ford plans to uproot the Ontario Science Centre from the iconic Don Mills home it’s occupied since 1969. But what is the Science Centre other than its iconic Don Mills home?

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#61 Doug Ford vs. the Mayors

December 20, 2023

We surmised that Doug Ford would punish Toronto for picking Olivia Chow as its mayor. But if anything, he seems more sympathetic to the city and its issues than before. So what gives?

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#60 I Logged On to a Mining Ring of Fire

November 22, 2023

Until just a few years ago, staking a mining claim in Ontario demanded banging physical posts in the ground. Now, you can simply head online and click a square on a map.

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#59 Doug Ford’s House of Horrors

October 25, 2023

Some say Queen’s Park is haunted. Others say it’s merely possessed by the Progressive Conservatives. Either way, there’s some spooky stuff going down.

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#58 Roll Up for the Mr. X Tour

September 20, 2023

With his polls diving, housing minister resigning, and ill-begotten Greenbelt scheme unravelling, what’s a Doug Ford to do? Why, talk about anything else, of course!

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#57 Greenbelt: The Movie

August 16, 2023

Allison and Jonathan look at the ways the Greenbelt story could be told on screen and who’d be best suited to star in it.

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#56 Students in Strip Malls

July 19, 2023

How did a Doug Ford policy move from 2019 lead to 10,000s of international students schlepping their backpacks to strip malls across the GTA?

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#55 102 People Who Are Not Doug Ford

June 21, 2023

Toronto is in the midst of its most exciting election in a decade, tickling us with the possibility of hope.

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#54 A Deep Dive Into Doug Ford’s Obsession with Smile Cookies

May 17, 2023

This month, Allison and Jonathan peer into Ford’s parallel fixations on law enforcement and cookies. To him, there isn’t a problem that one or the other (or both) can’t solve.

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#53 TVO Pursuit: After Ontario Place, Is TVO Next?

April 19, 2023

Doug Ford claims he’s all about building, but he sure has a thing for enthusiastically bulldozing the utopian public projects of yesteryear.

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#52 The Douggie Awards: Recognizing Stag & Does, The Greenbelt and That Rogue Bee

March 15, 2023

It’s every-Ford everywhere all at once, as we celebrate the year’s most absurd and distressing developments in Ontario politics.

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#51 Ford Weddings and a Free-for-all

February 15, 2023

It turns out Doug Ford and his "developer buddies" are more than just a metaphor.

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#50 “Leveraged” Health Care on Ontario’s Dime

January 18, 2023

Conservatives don’t like Canada’s public healthcare system. They think it makes us like Cuba and North Korea.

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#49 For Whom the Greenbelt Tolls

December 7, 2022

Allison and Jonathan look at who benefits from dismantling the Greenbelt and then trade fav findings from the latest Auditor General’s report.

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#48 CUPE Ki Yay, MotherFORDer!

November 9, 2022

This week, Doug Ford learned that while it’s stunningly easy to toss out constitutional rights, it’s a heck of a lot harder to get away with that.

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#47 The Power of the Doug

October 19, 2022

With electricity demand set to rise and Pickering’s nuclear plant set to close, Doug Ford’s government is now scrambling to keep the province’s lights on.

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#46 Strong Mayors [COMMA] Building Homes

September 21, 2022

The province has got a housing crisis, and the only prescription is… more mayoral powers?? Allison and Jonathan probe the comically flimsy pretense under which Doug Ford has fundamentally, if casually, reshaped how Ontario’s two largest cities are governed. Because what doesn’t quite kill Toronto and Ottawa, apparently just makes their mayors stronger.

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#45 Will Ontario Ever Have a Truly Left-Wing Party?

July 20, 2022

Allison and Jonathan talk with Jacobin’s Luke Savage about why the NDP so often provokes indifference, while its American and British counterparts sometimes seem poised to spark revolution. Might a new leader succeed where Andrea Horwath did not? Plus: The Premier’s new cabinet offers unprecedented representation by members of the Ford family. Because it’s 2022.

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#44 Ford More Years

June 3, 2022

The PCs are up seven seats from last time, and the opposition parties are down two leaders. We were going to record this from Doug Ford’s election-night event, but Jonathan wasn’t allowed in. So he and Allison met up after to talk about life in the Second Age of Ford, and what it means when a vindictive government also believes it’s a vindicated one. 

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#43 Running On Fumes In A Chicken Suit

May 27, 2022

As Doug Ford campaigns against fumes, his opponents are increasingly running on them. Less than a week away, the election’s outcome is hardly a foregone conclusion, but the Liberals, at least, have reached chicken-suit levels of desperation. Are they telling us there’s no candour available in all of Del Duca’s vista? Also, Allison and Jonathan consider whether Doug Ford has actually “evolved” (he hasn’t) and why the Star’s Queen’s Park columnist is so convinced that he has.

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#42 Why Are These People So Happy

May 20, 2022

Our election coverage continues into week three. This week, there was a weirdly upbeat leaders’ debate, two party leaders got COVID and several trade unions came out in support of Doug Ford and the PCs. Jonathan and Allison break down what it all means.

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#41 Research and Destroy

May 13, 2022

On week two of the election campaign, the dirt starts to surface about candidates, the leaders participate in their first debate and the Liberals release their fully-costed platform.

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#40 Drop Writ Like It’s Hot

May 6, 2022

Wag the Doug is going weekly for the Ontario election! On the first weekly Wag, Jonathan and Allison talk about Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca’s Youtube series, Ford’s campaign launch, cringey Star Wars memes, transit ideas and plenty more.

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#39 Refund Madness

April 20, 2022

A listener writes in, wondering why she's getting a rebate cheque in the mail right before an election campaign. Jonathan and Allison take stock of everything the Progressive Conservative Party is doing to secure an election victory, from conveniently-timed cheques to a spree of spending announcements. Plus, a special announcement about the show.

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#38 The Third Annual(ish) Douggie Awards

March 16, 2022

It’s once again that time of year when the stars of Ontario politics come out to — well, not shine, exactly, so much as drably absorb a depressing fluorescent glow. The 3rd Douggie Awards honour the terrible and hilarious developments of the past 12 months or so that made us laugh ’til we cried or cry 'til we laughed. Allison and Jonathan hand out the prizes, and all signs point to a triumphant night for The Power of the Doug.

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#37 Free Fearless Pancakes

February 16, 2022

When the trucker convoy cratered Ottawa, Doug Ford hoped he could turn the other cheek. However, when another protest blocked the Ambassador bridge in Windsor, disrupting his beloved supply chain, he declared a state of emergency to make sure Ontario stayed ‘Open for Business.’ Jonathan and Allison discuss what prompts action from the premier and why he’s behaving differently than his federal Tory cousins.

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#36 Kory & Nick: The Backroom Boys

January 19, 2022

The Toronto Sun likes to blast the “unelected” public health officials informing pandemic policy in Ontario. But who’s really calling the shots in Doug Ford’s government? Allison and Jonathan look at the sway held by pollster Nick Kouvalis and PC campaign manager Kory Teneycke. Not only are they unelected — they don’t even work there.

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#35 Rolling the Dice on Internet Gambling

December 15, 2021

It was only a matter of time before Doug Ford dragged us back into a casino debate. Except this time, it’s not on the waterfront but in your pocket.

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#34 Doug’s Labour Loss

November 17, 2021

With an election seven months away, Doug Ford’s government has suddenly decided it’s pro-worker. But would any of their proposed reforms actually improve the lives of low-income and gig workers in Ontario?

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#33 Yes, He Won’t

October 20, 2021

How do you put a smiling, election-ready face on a government that’s done little but slash regulations and mismanage a pandemic? That calls for a brand refresh!

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#32 Anatomy Of A Flip-Flop

September 15, 2021

Doug Ford used to oppose vaccine passports. Now’s he super in favour. That he changed his mind wasn’t surprising; that he did so before Ontario hit a new crisis point was. With Allison in New York, where she’s coming to love her vaccine passport, she and Jonathan pore over clues as to why Ford reversed himself sooner rather than later. What does it take to change the premier’s mind?

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#31 Ghosts of Ontario Place: Past, Present, Future

August 18, 2021

Opened in 1971, Ontario Place was an idealistic effort to celebrate and cement a provincial identity. Fifty years later, and having been left to rot, it’s about to be carved up and privatized by the Doug Ford government.

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#30 Everything You Wanted To Know About Doug Ford (And Did In Fact Ask)

July 21, 2021

Allison and Jonathan answer listener questions, such as: Will the government really give a boost to personal-support workers? And what’s the deal with Doug Ford’s brother’s hat? Join them as they venture into the Ford Family Extended Universe.

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#29 What’s Doug Ford So Afraid Of?

June 23, 2021

Doug Ford is getting ready for next year’s election by increasing donation limits, shuffling his cabinet, and overriding the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to pass a law limiting the criticism he’ll face. This sudden bonfire of political capital has our hosts wondering: given the state of Ontario’s opposition parties, just what is Ford so afraid of?

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#28 The Government’s Hidden Attack On Sex Workers

May 19, 2021

In Doug Ford’s Ontario, there’s no problem that can’t be solved by giving police new powers. This time, the issue is human trafficking— which, well that makes sense, right? The reality is far more complicated.

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#27 Doug Ford’s Gravy Train

April 20, 2021

With the pandemic reaching new levels of crisis each day, and public anger at the government rising in proportion, how has Doug Ford chosen to spend his evenings? Fundraising!

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#26 Tow Truck Mafia

March 16, 2021

The GTA has become the site of a massive tow truck turf war. Vehicles have been fire-bombed, a law office has been shot up, and cops face criminal charges for their involvement. And the person in charge of reining in the violence and corruption? Doug Ford.

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#25 Canary In The Nickel Mine: Laurentian Goes Bust

February 24, 2021

Laurentian University has filed for creditor protection, while a new university opening this fall has attracted just 47 applicants. What is going on with Ontario’s postsecondary sector? And what can the premier’s own brief college experience tell us about his government’s peculiar approach?

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#24 The Second Annual Douggie Awards

January 20, 2021

It’s the second annual Douggie Awards, where Allison and Jonathan take stock of all the hilarity and abject horror that was the Year in Ford. Who carries home the trophies for “Best Sycophant,” “Most Surreal Moment,” and the always-popular “Most Blatant Conflict of Interest”? Take a stroll down the shoddily constructed blue carpet and join us as we celebrate the worst that Ontario has to offer.

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#23 Landlord and Tenant Board of Damocles

December 16, 2020

Doug Ford vowed that those who couldn’t afford rent during the pandemic wouldn’t lose their homes. Instead, he made evictions easier than ever. And now, thanks to online hearings, the bleak indifference of that process is on display for all.

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#22 Law & Forder

November 18, 2020

Except when they’re investigating members of his family, Doug Ford really loves the police. So much so that, earlier this year, when calls for defunding became inescapable, he responded by giving them more money.

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#21 Epidemiology And The Infinite Sadness

October 21, 2020

To be caught off guard by Covid’s first wave was misfortunate. To be caught off guard by its second looks like carelessness.

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#20 How Green Was My Dougie

September 23, 2020

With large swaths of the continent on fire, we look at how Doug Ford’s government recently took a torch to environmental regulations under the guise of a “Covid-19 Economic Recovery Act.”

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#19 The Day Doug Ford Finally Became President

August 27, 2020

Following a five-month hiatus, Wag the Doug reemerges into a whole new world...

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#18 Doug In The Time Of Cholera

March 25, 2020

Doug Ford has been widely commended for his response to COVID-19. Are people just looking for comfort or has the crisis truly brought out the best in the Premier?

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Introducing: Cool Mules

March 2, 2020

A new investigative series about the cocaine smuggling ring inside Vice Media.

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#17 The Sad State Of The Ontario Liberal Party

February 27, 2020

The Liberals are about to choose their next leader; Damian Lewis puts on a fatsuit to bring Ford Nation to the big screen.

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#16 The Hamilton Debacle

January 27, 2020

After a decade of planning and $110 million spent, the Ford Government abruptly cancelled Hamilton’s LRT, leaving empty buildings and questions about the city’s future in its wake. Was it just a line item? Ballooning costs? Or political sabotage in an NDP town?

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#15 Dirty Money, Expired Eggs: The Auditor General’s Annual Shaming

December 11, 2019

The Auditor General has released her annual report, scrutinizing the government's spending on everything from prisons to horse racing. We dig through it to bring you ten fascinating things we learned. And Doug Ford begins his unity tour.

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#14 The Best Of Doug Ford’s Propaganda Channel

November 21, 2019

A deep dive into the past, present and future of Ontario News Now, the PC Party's online propaganda outlet. Is it dangerous misinformation or harmless government cheerleading? Plus, is Doug Ford finally playing nice? And do the PCs have their own version of a gas plant scandal brewing?

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Introducing COMMONS: DYNASTIES

October 24, 2019

Our colleagues at COMMONS have a new season of their podcast called DYNASTIES, all about the powerful families that run Canada. Today, we're sharing their episode about the rise of the Fords. 

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#13 Doug Ford Is Toxic To Andrew Scheer

September 25, 2019

Justin Trudeau won't stop saying "Doug Ford" while Andrew Scheer is going to absurd lengths to avoid acknowledging the Ontario Premier's existence whatsoever. So we take a look at how Doug is playing a role in the federal election.

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#12 Doug Ford Vs. The Arts

August 8, 2019

While the public has loudly protested funding cuts to areas like education and autism support, cuts to arts and culture have gotten less attention. So how are the arts doing under the Ford Government? What are they supporting? And what art does Doug Ford actually like?

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#11 How To Promote Friends And Alienate People

July 4, 2019

With a new Cabinet in place and ongoing allegations of nepotism in the Ontario government, we present to you: The Doug Ford Guide to Management.

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#10 The First Annual Douggie Awards

June 6, 2019

Tonight, we gather to honour the Doug Ford Government a year into their historic mandate. Our hosts hand out the much-coveted Douggie Awards to those who have shown tremendous achievements in spin, bootlicking and dramatically miming the hunt for beer in convenience stores. Join us for this unforgettable evening.

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#9 “Unfortunately, That Tree Can’t Employ Anybody”

May 16, 2019

In the month since the budget was released, we've gotten a lot more details about the Ford Government’s cuts. The environment has been hit hard. We look at how some of Ford's biggest cheerleaders are reacting. And we find a glimmer of hope.

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#8 Locked Up By Doug (Budget Special)

April 12, 2019

The Ford Government's first budget is out. They call it "Protecting What Matters Most." We spend eight hours locked in a room with bureaucrats, reporters and cheap pizza to find out what exactly does matter most to Doug, once you put a dollar sign on it.

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#7 All The Promises Doug Ford Has Broken Lately

March 21, 2019

And the one he fulfilled that blew up in his face.

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#6 The Tragically OHIP

January 23, 2019

Is the Ford Government trying to privatize healthcare? Plus, a list of things Doug Ford has broken.

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#5 OPP, Yeah You Know Me

December 6, 2018

An old friend of the Ford family has been appointed to head the Ontario Provincial Police, a job many consider him to be under-qualified for. We look back to Doug's history with Ron Taverner, as well as the group of unofficial advisors who surrounded the Fords for years.

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#4 Live From Ford Fest!

September 24, 2018

We visit Ford Fest, where people wait for burgers and juice boxes in the dark as a white supremacist takes a selfie with the premier.

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#3 What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Notwithstanding?

September 11, 2018

Doug Ford won't let some silly Charter get in his way! Just two and a half months in, he's poised to use a rare and extreme measure to win a petty legal battle.

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#2 The Many Lawsuits Against Doug Ford’s Government

August 30, 2018

The Ford Government just lost their first lawsuit. What makes it even worse is they lost to Elon Musk.

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#1 Dark, Dirty and Disruptive

August 1, 2018

Welcome to Wag the Doug, a pop-up podcast about Doug Ford.

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